US foreign affairs panel chief stresses on transparency in Afghanistan funding
Aug 11, 2023
New York [U.S], August 11 : U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, Michael McCaul, has expressed his criticism regarding the involvement of the Taliban administration in Afghanistan’s aid, reported The Khaama News Agency on Friday.
The Khaama Press is a news agency based in Afghanistan.
As per Khaama Press, he emphasized the pressing requirement for transparency from the Biden administration concerning the allocation of funds to Afghanistan.
“It is despicable that U.S. taxpayer money is lining the pockets of a terrorist group like the Taliban, which persecutes Afghan women and girls. For months, I have asked the Biden administration to explain how they will help the people of Afghanistan while keeping U.S. money out of Taliban hands, without a response. This latest report underscores the urgent need for transparency from the Biden administration on funding to Afghanistan,” McCaul said.
Earlier, the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in a new report that since the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021, the U.S. has appropriated over $2.35 billion, reported The Khaama News Agency.
“The U.S. government has appropriated more than $2.35 billion in 2022 and 2023 funding for Afghanistan reconstruction programming since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021,” the report said.
SIGAR’s quarterly report to the U.S. Congress states, “Taliban interference in humanitarian assistance is the main barrier to beneficiaries accessing aid in 2023 … there were 110 access incidents related to Taliban interference in April 2023 alone.”
Last month, SIGAR released its findings, revealing that since 2021, the Taliban has received substantial taxpayer funds, as per The Khaama News Agency.
The SIGAR report also highlighted that under the Biden administration, increased funds were accessible for initiatives within Afghanistan, even in areas under Taliban control.
However, Taliban officials have refuted any claims of interference in the aid process, asserting, “We reject the findings of the SIGAR report. The interim administration maintains no involvement in the distribution of aid.”
The U.S. Department of State has previously stated that the de facto authorities are actively disrupting the aid process, reported the Khaama News Agency.
